School superintendent gets three-year contract

The La Conner school board of directors first gave Superintendent Whitey Meissner a passing grade in its evaluation and then voted her a three-year contract at their May 21 meeting. Meissner, finishing her first year, will have an annual salary of $137,794. She will also earn an annual 403(b) annuity of $10,020. Her contract starts July 1.

The board addressed wages for most district employees, passing a resolution offering “employment assurances to non-supervisory classified staff and assurances and /or contracts to supervisory classified personnel with salaries” for the next school year. The district is bargaining with its teachers in the Public School Employee Association. No contract with any group of staff has been completed.

The board also welcomed Cherri Kahns, hired May 1, as administrative assistant to the board and superintendent. Kahns replaces Michelle Hanna; her last day was April 30.

Also new is Jennifer Moyer, a psychologist on a 40 percent work share with the Conway School District. She starts August 31. The board signed a contract with Salish Sea Deaf School in Anacortes for up to $43,200 worth of instructional time in the next school year.

The board agreed to have two students become board representatives. Director Lynette Cram championed this idea. She brought it to the board in February, when an Anacortes school board member and student representative came to that board meeting. The La Conner board plan to choose two students at their June meeting. The students will begin their roles in the new school year.

The board accepted over $75,000 in grants, won by the district’s science and technology teams, including a $45,000 state funded computer sciences grant requiring matching monies. They acknowledged $5,937 given and gained by the Little Braves Club. Over $4,500 was collected by the La Conner Soroptimists for the Craig Bartlett animated film fundraiser organized and managed by Connie Funk.

Board documents are available on the school district’s website: http://lcsd.wednet.edu